Many thanks to LOOKOUT friend and accomplice Morgan Steiker AKA The Beatseeker for interviewing the 8 DJs competing in the Red Bull 3Style this Friday, February 19 at Theatre Telus! Check the interviews below to get a unique profile on the contestants and a glimpse at what to expect in their sets on Friday. Come through to cheer on the Montreal locals done good and choose which one could move onto the finals in Paris!

State your name: Mayday

How did you get into this? My older brother bought decks and was nice enough to let me mess around on his set up at his place and play with his hip hop records until I realized I was serious about it and had to start buying my own.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? Two decks and a mixer. A nice size crowd is good but in the end, it's not about how many people are there. You can have 15 people and if you do things right with the music and mixing, you have a party. The set up is what you make of it. You have a job to do and that job doesn't depend on ideals, it depends on you showing up, assessing the situation and using your experience to figure out how to make things go off proper. That's how I see it anyways.

State your name: Twitch

How did you get into this? Piano, then guitar, then DJing. One thing after another I guess. Comes down to the love for music.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? Good old Serato is always a classic although I’m really loving the whole Midi controllers, loops, effects, pads, and the whole shabang! It gives the show a kinda vibe, instead of just playing other peoples tracks, you get to be the creator.

Most memorable DJ experience? Participating in the World Team DMC in England. We represented Canada. Ok, we got our asses kicked. But it was an amazing experience. That and when A-trak won the Canadian DMC finals at Metropolis, right before he became World Champ. Huge motivating moment for DJs who witnessed that competition.

What song will you never drop? I guess it always depends on how the song is flipped, how you drop it, how you mix it in. Even the cheesiest tracks can sound nice properly mashed up. But enough with the positivism, “Ghetto Superstar” by Pras.

Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails. It’s actually a great song, and not funny at all. But the girl who asked me…well…it was her way of saying “I want to F#CK!!!”...and no I didn’t..

A message for 3Style night:

Get ready for an orgy of songs mashed up together. Will be a musical gangbang to your ears.

State your name: DJ YO-C

How did you get into this? I started DJing at the age of thirteen. My brother-in-law was doing a lot of private events and I would help him out to bring in and take down the equipment. I would stay the night with him just to see how he would work and what kind of music he was playing. He was only using vinyl back in the day. I bought my first mixer with amplifier and used my parent’s old run down turntables and tape deck players to start mixing. I would practice day and night and barely would go out for a couple of years. Started doing private events at the age of fifteen and clubs at nineteen.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I like using two Technics 1200's with the pioneer mixer 909 with one extra CDJ on the side for extra tracks to loop and play with.

Most memorable DJ experience? DJing for Wyclef...hands down THE coolest guy out there!

What song will you never drop? Hmmm....hard one. Let's just say that I don't keep the songs that I wouldn't play on my computer!

Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? I can't remember...too many parties where people get drunk and ask random music!

A message for 3Style night: Let's have fun, enjoy the music and be open!

State your name: Mr. Dany Patrice Valade AKA DJ Cherry COLA.

How did you get into this? When I was sixteen, a friend of mine was a DJ in a 14-18 club, and I was really impressed...at the same time Daft Punk launched Homework...that was it...I knew I was going to make something out of this!

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I put my fists in the air and dance!!

What’s the first song that made you flip? Daft Punk “Rollin' & Scratchin” for the electronic scene but when I was four years old, it was “Thriller” by Michael Jackson.

Most memorable DJ experience? Playing with Crystal Castle was something. People were out of control and Coda was way over capacity. I also had a blast in Paris when I played this party called "La Furie" at Social Club.

State your name: Rilly Guilty or simply Guilt.

How did you get into this? Dad let me mess with all his equipment from the Disco Days. He would tell me stories of cops shutting down his makeshift hotel parties…that stuck with me. I really got into it because of hip hop, and found myself throwing mini-jams in friends’ basements. I was the DJ in the high school crew.

What's your ideal setup to rock a crowd? A mixer and two turntables but most importantly, a banging sound system. Not just a LOUD system. A well-positioned, properly set up one! I find there is not enough emphasis on sound- everyone just wants to get as loud as possible. DJs and club owners, please put more pride into the way it sounds!

What's the last song that made you flip? Just heard it fifteen minutes ago. Peckos – “Love Girl”. It may not be your cup of tea, but it sure is mine.

Most memorable DJ experience? Sweaty night in the corner of a third floor apartment packed with party people. This girl kept standing on the sub, dancing, and then falling off. She did this about 10 times. I deeply respect her resilience.

What song will you never drop? That shit f***** Miley Cyrus song. Why would you want to hear that? It insinuates that the party is in the USA while you’re at a party in Canada...that is some existential shit! You’re at a party that doesn't exist!

Funniest request you've ever gotten? Club’s packed, music is bumping, drinks are flowing, hands in the air, the song is about to drop, silence before drop... lady by the booth decides at that very moment to yell out her request for “Aime Tu La Vie” by Boule Noire. The whole place nearly broke out in to laughter. It was quite amusing.

A message for 3Style night: To all the competitors, if I'm not drinking, be afraid! If I am drinking, STILL BE AFRAID…but not as much. And also if you could not include these songs in your sets that would be of great help to me...

State your name: A-Rock

How did you get into this? Somebody told me they thought I could do it!

What's your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I need room in the DJ booth to dance, and I need the computer out of my face cause I got to have a connection with people. I need space on the side!

What's the first song that made you flip? Still saying the same about Motown Philly. It don't matter just don't curse!!!!!!!!!

What's the last song that made you flip? Revisiting the Electric Slide.

Most memorable DJ experience? Bouncer threatening to throw me out of the club for being behind the DJ booth with my homie on the decks. He tells me when MC Mario plays on Saturdays it's only him behind the decks, he figured one DJ was enough. It was risky business everytime I got near that booth, but they let me stay. Hey, thanks!

What song will you never drop? As Psychology has said in the past...never say never. You're right as rain my friend.

Funniest request you've ever gotten? Adzimm (pronounced Adam), play Brazilian house music. (after all these years, I figured out that guy was right.)

State your name: Truspin

How did you get into this? I don’t know…I guess its just the flow of life…I bought turntables when I was thirteen years old, got my first gigs at seventeen years old and next things I knew I was living off what I loved to do.

First song that made you flip? Mmm…don’t really remember as a child but early teens it would probably be A tribe called Quest, Nirvana, Beastie boys or Snoop.

Last song that made you flip? This week: the new Theofilus London mixtape.

Most memorable DJ moment? I think it was 7-8 years ago at Angels, I was playing a Neptunes song and then someone taps on my shoulder. I turn around and Pharell Williams is in the booth all like “great stuff man’’. Also, the few times I got goosebumbs when I played a song. Always a cool and intense feeling in memorable nights.

What song will you never drop? mmmm…somebody tried to remake “Beggin’” by Franki Valli. I heard it on the radio this week. HORRIBLE.

Funniest song you've been asked to play? “Chante” by René Simard…in the middle of an electro set.